Tombstone epitaph., 1887-11-05

ried daughter. I was stone broke, and almost famished."
 @You shall be fed. Here is money. I would advise you to avoid Moortown; come this way" The colonel led tho way to the servants hall, wrung the mans hand, and left him.
 An hour later the benefciaire was seated on milestone, blowing cloud. In the village, with the coloncls gratuity, he had been enabled to provide himself with relay of tobacco. "Whrt larks!" cjaculatad he between whiffs. "If Sodjer Bill comes this way and spins his yarn they'll bo rough on him. I thought when sneaked tho bit O paper he was SO choice of, it might come in useful. He said there was an old colonel about here that had been in the mutiny, aud at Cawnporo when he was puff, pufD. wish I'd another jug of the old buffer's ale here puff, puf0. Well, Pm dashed, if I remembered to give back to the old blokc his cheese parer." The vagrant viewed the pen knife approvingly, 'it'll be bad job if l can't get tanner on it."
 The colonel returned to the library, but his granddaughter was not there. He went to on escritoire, and opening drawer, took out an old fashioned case, tho stamped velvet within of q seedy hue, the daguerre otypc solarized, almost faded - out. But, though the portrait was so | sh0dowy, tho face was visible to the colonel, as clearly us on the day when it gave him pleasure to receive it.
 "My poor murdered darling!" he mur- mured, with sob.
 :, Ho sat, the portrait in his hand, oblivi- ous of the passing hours. IIc Heard noth- ing, not the tap on t,.c door; Lc did not hcar Oceana open it, or sec her when she entered the room.
 "Grandpapas' cjaculated shc softly.
 "Ycs, child"
 He closed the case gently, to hurricdly restore it to it's drawer.
 ''Did you rot hear the Cong?"
 "No I-.thc fact is, have bcen little abstractci"
 "Amblcr tells mo you have allowed the poor man to TO. How good of your' He was cn old coldicr, Cccana. He was at Cawnpore''- Tic colo.cl's voice had hush in it. He rosc to his feet; ho felt tacm q little unsteady, Liri- self little Giddy. Eut he quickly rccov- ercd himself
 Oceana was obseIvant; she was cnx- ious.
 ''It has upset you, Grandrara; these regularly Let Uartshorn go elsewhere. 7" 4 "Yes, think so; ho shall. I think l . will rest more"
 iOceana could not recall luncheon SO dull. If the colonel was not huinorist, he attempted humor, and he talked of something, or drew out Mrs. Mnux. But this day he was prcoccupied, his face sad.
 The colonel rose from tie table, Mrs. Maux following suit, to pass through the door the colonel held open. But Oceana still sat in reverie, to become conscious that her grandfather was lingering.
 "Grandpapa, Arthur will be here shortly. Will he find you in the libraryF" She did not turn her head.
 ''Do not be anxious, child," her grand father said, sympathetically, 'T shall not be hard. could not be hard with any one today" a
 Still he fingered. A certain reserve that even his grandchild had been unable to pierce seemed to be slipping away from him. He returned to place his hand under Oceana's chin, and stopping, kissed the lips of the upturned face fondly and tear fully.
 'Oceana, I think after all it will be better not to send him to me; do not feel E equal to seeing him today. will write to him. know what he will urge; it will be Q pang to me to give you up-but he will understand"
 She heard the library door close, then she run upstairs. In Il few minutes she was down again. Entering the drawing r0om she placed Q chair ill tho bay, her eyes strained towards the highway. The screen of trees did not completely block the view. But she was impatient. She raised tho sash an inch; her ears would acquaint her sooner than her eyes. Yes, she caught the click of horse's hoofs; it was not many moments, and the rider saw her, holding high his whip.
 Arthur Daunt rode away little disap- pointed. How odd the colonel was? Could rot sec him, would write. He had counted upon staying to dinner an hour after with Oceana. Ho must be thankful for small mercies; the dear girl appeared confident. ti 'aet
 The gong snunled. The butler won dercd, h,s master was so punctilious. Ambler entered the dining room. Oceana and Mrs. MauX were standing at the fire. "Thc colonel, where is he, Ambler!"
 q think he is in tho library, Miss Oceana. I will go-perhaps he did not hear the gong"
 Amber tapped at the library Goor, to enter the roo;I. Tho colonel was asleep, his arms eXtenCcd OF his writing table, his face bent low. AlHblcr spoke, but the colonel paid 10 heed 10 l..m. Am1lcI waited a few ElorScnts, uncertain, then was boll cnouGh to approach lis I:iastcr. In the colonCi's h"2tis wcS q photograph case, open; ct Lis side G folded dccument, on which AElblcr reed "Wiil." Arblcr touch the colonel; ticrc vcs no response. He raised his master and c;:w that he was dead, and that Ec h,':l covered an open note on which wGs written:
 "Dear Arthur: give Occana to you. Re good to her. Excepting few lega- cics, have bequeathcd everything 10 icr. Ny r.sI